The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. – Albert Einstein

More than depicting objects, landscapes or persons in real life, I am interested in senses and perception. I am interested in translating my dreams, my emotions and feelings, the result of my senses and generally my most wild imaginary into colour and drawings. I am also interested in exploring other students individual work and hearing their insights, since I know that perception is something very “personal” and I am always surprised and amazed at its variability from person to person.

So, please, do feel free to dialogue with me or to simply share your insights on my blog. In my daily life I roam into a world of “terre-à-terre” individuals, whom I find very hard to even mention this kind of questioning to. Therefore I am happy to be able to share this with a whole community of art inclined people.

A question to ponder upon: how would you translate into visual art The Sound, The Taste, The Smell or The Touch?

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Well, what did I do for all this time if not art? First of all: I grew up. Also my expectations and my innermost wishes as far as Art and Drawing are concerned became more clear.

Second of all: I was getting used to have a very good night sleep, no matter what. It seems some studies say that 10 years of poor sleeping (wether little sleep or bad quality sleep) take approximately 5 years of healthy night time in order to compensate for its psychological and neurological damages… So, only another 4 and a half years to go! 😉

Third of all, I’ve pondered. My conclusion was that none of my close family members actually actively support my emergence as an artist: a painful understanding. So, I turned into this funny/ridiculous cliché where I’m the misunderstood and miserable artist and the world is my enemy. I’m getting told to get a grip of myself and put my feet on the ground. Only that I refuse to be a cliché or to have enemies… and I clearly feel that my feet are steadily on the ground. Still, to my loved ones defense, so far I have not proven myself to them, at least not as an artist. They might see it as me selling something that I do not possess.

I’ve learned that nobody will offer the opportunity and the time to do art, unless I take it for myself . And I’ve learned that I almost have to steal it or to ferociously grab it (not my style but I’ll do it).

Also, I have learned that I have good friends following and patiently supporting me, and I am grateful for their presence! So my work will be not only for me, but for them too and for my kids, who think I’m wonderful, no matter what I do. Kind of convenient… 🙂

I’ve been watching the statistics of you all reading my blog. And they went up for a glimpse in time, only to plummet a few days later. It is not easy to have seen it but it was only normal, since I couldn’t work or write for such a long time. And I haven’t shown you any kind of worthy work results.

So, since I did enough talking, it time to get back to transforming what others might consider crazy fantasies into… reasonable dreams. Well, briefly, I’m getting back to work! 🙂

Simona

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Today I’d like to introduce you to a few of the books that I always keep close by and that are dear to me. No need to emphasize that these are only additional materials to the ones requested in our Drawing manual.

“To Paint is to Love again” – a testimony of Henry Miller discovering a new way of expressing himself, through painting… at an advanced age.

“Les couples mythiques de l’art” by Alain Vircondelet, Beaux Arts Editions 2011, ISBN 978-2-84278-855-1 (I always like to “pry” into artists’ lives and understand their daily working mechanisms and the implications that have on their creations).

“D’Art D’Art!” is a series of 3 volumes, which corresponds to a very well known TV show on the French Television. It actually depicts works of art and explanations about their authors and about the oeuvre’s making itself.

Any book about rocks and minerals: I’m always surprised by their beautiful natural colors.

Late Umberto Eco’s “Histoire de la laideur” (History of Ugliness in Painting) – we always seek beauty. Why not look the other way around too?

Taschen’s “Book of Symbols” – simply fascinated by the evolution of symbols through time and cultures. It might prove more than useful in drawing.

“The Bird King and Other Sketches” by Shaun Tan- Windy Hollow Books 2010, Australia. In 2011 he won the Oscar for the best short animation movie “The Lost Thing” (www.shauntan.net). His drawings are in the same time weird, out of time and space but nevertheless very touching and detailed. Thus very inspiring to me…

Last but not least, an encyclopaedia of Italian Painting, a book that followed and fascinated me since I was very young and that I used to browse on a regular basis, even if I did understand not one bit of art at that time.

I hope you will find some of them interesting and useful.

Simona

PS: And there are others. To be continued in due time… Generally you can find all my various artistic interests grouped as best as I could on my Pintrest page .

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I should have started my work more than a month ago… But I’ve been staggering and struggling with obstacles like my current work, the neverending home chores, my lovely sweet children… but everything was so demanding, to my own exhaustion. And, to my very big surprise, I found it terribly hard to switch from the daily state of mind to a creative and artistic one. It takes time and patience.

I’ve learnt that art is not an on-off activity. Art is, among others, a habit. Like brushing your teeth or like driving to work. Something that should get deep under your skin. This goes also for all those who, like me, feel already passionate about art, but not knowing how to tackle it.

But enough of that! This is not and will never be about complaining. I struggle, like many of you out there.

First of all, I want to assure you that you are not alone.

Second of all, I wanna make sure myself that I am not alone. I’m gladly open to advice, to sharing and to constructive and polite critique.

Third, last but not least, I want to find and to prove that solutions exist. Sometimes through errors, sometimes through lengthy periods of time, sometimes through quiet understanding and retreat…